Mechanical brushing unit

ABSTRACT

A ROTARY BRUSH ELEMENT IS DRIVEN THROUGH GEARING BY ONE OF A PAIR OF TURBINE ELEMENTS IN AN ELONGATED BODY HAVING INLET AND OUTLET PORTS THROUGH WHICH FLUID UNDER PRESSURE IS INTRODUCED TO AND EXHAUSTED FROM THE TURBINE ELEMENTS. THE FLUID IS DISCHARGED FROM THE BRUSH ELEMENT THROUGH ORIFICE APERTURES BETWEEN THE BRUSH BRISTLES. A CONTROL VALVE BLOCKS FLOW THROUGH A SELECTED INLET PORT TO DETERMINE THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF THE BRUSH ELEMENT.

2 Shoots-Shut 1 Filed March 12, 1970 Thomas C. Dawkins IN VIiN'I'OK.

WW fim Sept. 20, 1911 2 Shuts-Slant 2 Filed March 12, 1970 T h o mas C. Dawkins IN vnN'mk.

29 J mm vb m mv 9 NW 3 Q wv w w m. w Em United States Patent 3,605,154 MECHANICAL BRUSHIN-G UNIT Thomas C. Dawkins, 132 W. Main, Anadarko, Okla. 73005 Filed Mar. 12, 1970, Ser. No. 18,906 Int. Cl. A46b 13/ 06 U.S. Cl. 1524 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A rotary brush element is driven through gearing by one of a pair of turbine elements in an elongated body having inlet and outlet ports through which fluid under This invention relates to a fluid operated implement such as a rotary toothbrush and more particularly to a reversible type of rotary toothbrush.

Fluid operated, rotary brush implements are well known. In most cases, such implements are limited as to speed and direction of rotation since attempts to pro vide directional control involve the use of expensive gearing and increase the weight and bulk of the implement. It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a fluid operated rotary implement, which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and yet has a directional control capability.

In accordance with the present invention, the elongated body of the rotary implement houses a pair of turbine elements respectively geared to a common output gear adapted to be keyed to a driven brush member having a fluid passage in communication with the outlet ports associated with the turbine element chambers. Fluid is introduced through inlet ports to the turbine chambers under control of a slide valve which selectively blocks one or both of the inlet ports in order to stop or control the direction of rotation. Pressurized fluid may be obtained from any suitable source such as the unit disclosed in my copending application, U.S. Ser. No. 18,905, filed Mar. 12, 1970.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the rotary cleaning implement constituting one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 33 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 4-4 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 55 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 6-6 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 77 in FIG. 2.

3,605,154 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 ice Referring now to the drawings in detail, the implement of the present invention generally denoted by reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1 includes an elongated body 12 which may be dimensioned so as to fit in the hand of the user. A power-driven member generally referred to 'by reference numeral 14 extends from one axial end of the body 12 and has a bristled cylindrical brush element 16 mounted on one end thereof remote from the body 12. A pair of conduits 18 are connected through a directional reversing valve assembly 20 to the end of the body 12 opposite the end from which the driven member 14 extends. The conduits 18 establish divided flow paths from a pressurized source of fluid from which fluid is supplied to the implement 10 for operation thereof.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 5, the body 12 is provided internally with a pair of cylindrical chambers 22 and 24 disposed in parallel spaced relation on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis through the body. Turbine elements 26 and 28 are respectively disposed within the chambers 22 and 24. The turbine elements are provided with spiral vanes 30 and 32 having opposite helix angles. Sleeve bearings 34 journal stub shaft extensions 36 from the turbine elements adjacent the axial end 38 of the body on which the reversing valve assembly 20 is mounted. Shaft sections 40 at the other ends of the turbine elements are journaled within the body by sleeve bearings 40.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 6, the journaled shaft sections 40 extending from the turbine elements are connected to pinion gears 42 enclosed within a gear chamber 44 spaced from the conical end portion 46 of the body 12. The pinion gears 42 mesh with a common driven gear 48 mounted for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the body. The driven gear member 48 is provided with an axial extension 50 that is noncircular in cross-section as more clearly seen in FIG. 7. The gear extension is adapted to be received within a cross-sectionally similar socket 52 formed in a diametrically enlarged section 54 of the driven member 14 which extends into the receiving socket 56 of the body. Thus, rotation imparted to the gear member 48 is transmitted to the driven member. The driven member also includes a smaller diameter shank portion 58 at the end of which the bristles of the brush element 16 are mounted.

Referring once again to FIG. 2, the body 12 is provided with a pair of inlet ports 60 or passages which diverge from the end 38 in order to conduct fluid under pressure into the adjacent ends of the turbine chambers 22 and 24. Accordingly, fluid under pressure entering the turbine chambers through the ports 60 will impart rota.- tion to the turbine elements 26 and 28 in opposite directions when impinging against the associated spiral tur- 'bine vanes 30 and 32. Fluid is exhausted from the turbine chambers at the other axial ends through converging outlet ports 62 for communication with a passage bore 64 formed in the common driven gear member 48. The bore 64 is axially aligned with an axial passage 66 formed in the driven member 14 which is closed at its remote end. However, the end portion of thedriven member within the brush element 16 is provided with a plurality of orifice apertures 68 by means of which fluid is discharged between the brush bristles.

It will be apparent, that fluid under pressure introduced at the end 38 of the implement body will produce rotation of the brush element and the fluid exhausted from the turbine chambers will be discharged through the apertures 68 between the brush bristles. The implement will therefore be particularly suitable for cleaning teeth within the oral cavity of a person. The direction in which the driven member 14 is rotated, will depend upon the turbine chamber through which fluid flow is conducted. It will be appreciated in this regard, that since the turbine elements are driven in opposite directions, by fluid flow through the associated turbine chambers, flow through one of the chambers must be blocked in order to enable the implement to operate. The valve assembly 20 is therefore utilized to block flow through a selected one of the turbine chambers in order to determine the direction of rotation as well as to stop operation of the unit by blocking flow through both of the turbine chambers. As more clearly seen in FIG. 3, the valve assembly 20 includes an elongated valve plate 70 slidably received within the valve body 72 secured to the end 38 of the implement body 12. The valve plate is provided with a valve opening 74 which is adapted to be aligned with either one of the inlet ports 60 when the valve plate is displaced to one of two operative positions. When the valve plate is displaced to a closed position, both inlet ports 60 will be blocked. The valve plate is provided with a right angle finger projection 76 to enable the user to manually displace the valve plate to the three positions aforementioned.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A cleaning implement comprising an elongated 1 housing, a pair of turbine elements rotatably mounted within the housing, a driven member rotatably mounted in the housing and extending externally thereof, brush means mounted on the driven member in spaced relation to the housing, gear means dri'vingly connecting said turbine elements to the driven member for rotation thereof in opposite directions, passage means mounted within the housing for alternatively conducting fluid under pressure through the turbine elements and the gear means into the driven member, and drive reversing control means mounted by the housing for selectively directing pressurized fluid through the passage means to impart rotation to only one of the turbine elements.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said passage means includes a pair of diverging inlet ports directing fluid flow axially against peripheral portions of the turbine elements and a pair of converging outlet ports conducting fiuid exhausted from the turbine elements through the gear means.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said gear means includes a pair of drive gears respectively connected to the turbine elements and a driven gear in mesh with said drive gears having a central bore aligned with the outlet ports, said driven gear having an axial extension projecting into the driven member and having a noncircular cross-section.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said drive reversing control means comprises a valve element slidably mounted on the housing, and means for displacing the valve element to a plurality of operative positions blocking flow through one or both of the inlet ports.

5. The combination of claim 2 wherein said drive reversing control means comprises a valve element slidably mounted on the housing, and means for displacing the valve element to a plurality of operative positions blocking fiow through one or both of the inlet ports.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said gear means includes a pair of drive gears respectively connected to the turbine elements and a driven gear in mesh with said drive gears having a central bore aligned with the passage means, said driven gear having an axial extension projecting into the driven member and having a noncircular cross-section.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,492,966 l/l950 Ckola l524X 2,763,461 9/1956 Hill l5-24UX 3,046,585 7/1962 Ledingham et al. 1524 EDWARD L. ROBERTS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

